


The Academy

by IvyJade



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars: Rebellion Era - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Canon attitudes towards aliens/worlds, Drama, Father-Son Relationship, Friendship, Gen, I took this far too seriously, Imperial Luke Skywalker, Imperialism, Military, Minor Character Death, Propaganda
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:35:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26876038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IvyJade/pseuds/IvyJade
Summary: Leadership! Order! Power!Abandoned by his father at the Junior Imperial Academy at age twelve, Luke Skywalker has grown up amongst the elite as an outsider.Now that he has begun his final year all Luke wants is to fly for the Navy. As he uncovers the truth of the Empire, Luke questions all that he knows. Caught between his duty and his beliefs, Luke questions how much he will sacrifice for galactic freedom.Yet this soon gets the attention of his father, the mysterious figure he has not seen in five years, who reveals his own plans for Luke's future.
Relationships: Luke Skywalker & Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker & Original Male Character(s)
Comments: 19
Kudos: 105





	1. Semester Begins

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is my first ever fanfic so please be kind! 
> 
> Summary: Luke was found by his father and taken to the Academy at the age of twelve and hasn't seen his since. As he questions the propaganda of the Academy, he falls into rebellion. 
> 
> (Please note that there is some canon-typical language towards aliens and fictional colonial attitudes since it is the Empire. Although it is all obviously fictional, I have tried to make it sound like real propaganda and speeches as much as I can and is meant to be uncomfortable.)

**Chapter One**

_ Twelve years after the formation of the Empire _

Luke had seen stormtroopers before. Everyone had. There was always some swarming about Mos Eisley, usually on a fuel stop. It shouldn't have been a surprise to see them in Anchorhead. There was a reason why Uncle Owen called them the 'Imperial womp rats' as they wormed their way across every corner of the Galaxy. 

But Luke had never seen them in Anchorhead before. 

Luke held the macrobinoculars to his eyes zoomed in as close as possible to the troopers. From the top of the abandoned factory, it gave Luke and Biggs the perfect view across the quiet settlement and the desert. Luke was pleased Biggs had agreed to climb to the top of the old factory. He liked to go where nobody else would. Luke wasn't afraid of heights - he liked the challenge of getting as close to the sky as possible. 

Although it had been dangerous, they could see exactly what the troopers were doing.

"Those bucket heads have got no business on Tatooine in the first place," Biggs said. "There's nothing for them on this dustball."

"They could be refuelling."

"No way. They wouldn't go this far south; they'd stop off at Mos Eisley." Biggs whispered, even though nobody could hear. It was something that they were taught - the Empire was not to be spoken about out loud, especially when it landed on your doorstep. 

"The Empire wouldn't care about a settlement."

Biggs looked at him funny. "That's your Uncle talking." 

"So? He's right, isn't he?" Luke defended, though the air of doubt was clear. 

"Apparently not. Give me the macrobinoculars." The stormtroopers, though they were not on patrol, seemed to be observing anything that moved. "They've stopped. They're at the Cantina." 

Imps wouldn't receive a warm welcome at cantinas but nobody would stop them. It had become dangerous to show anything other than Imperial sentiments even in Tatooine. 

"They must be looking for someone. A Rebel maybe." Biggs sighed as he threw down the macrobinoculars; they'd gone inside.

"Don't be ridiculous. Who would hide a Rebel here?" Luke didn't know much about the Rebellion, only that they were a band of terrorists that could not be spoken about. "There was no way a Rebel would be somewhere like this." 

"You said that about the troopers too. Besides, this is the perfect hiding spot. The troopers would probably drop dead of boredom before finding them."

"That's true, I guess." Luke leaned back against the old wall, careful to keep his balance. "Still, can you think of anyone who would hide a Rebel?" 

Luke knew just about everyone in Anchorhead and everyone knew everyone else's business. That's just how it was Tatooine; you relied upon your neighbours. A lone Rebel entering the town? That would travel faster than a bantha in the sun. 

"Well, no I guess not." Biggs conceded but grinned as an idea came to him. "Maybe your Aunt is hiding them in the garage." 

Luke giggled, imaging his mild Aunt and Uncle being Rebel operatives, or hiding some sort of big secret. "Uncle Owen would set them to work on the Vaporators. That's a bigger punishment than the Empire." 

For a moment, Luke imagined having a Rebel living in his home. They could act like his brother or sister, tell him all about the adventures across the galaxy and they could do his share of the chores. He looked over, across the desert plains, knowing instinctively where the homestead was even though he couldn't see it. The suns would be setting soon, the red bleeding into the blue and the heat of Tatooine would turn to freeze. He hated to leave his friend but he had to get back before dusk. Biggs would have to tell him all the fallout of the troopers tomorrow. 

As of reading his mind, Biggs had stood up and begun the climb down from the rooftop. 

"Hey what about that old Wizard that lives far out?" Biggs asked, landing on the factory floor with a crash.

"Old Ben? I dunno. Uncle Owen says he's just a crazy old man." Actually, Uncle Owen has said much worse than that but the subject had been banned in the homestead.

"He could be a Jedi." 

"If he was a Jedi he'd be off fighting. And he'd have a laser sword." Luke was pretty sure that Jedi had laser swords, though he'd never seen one before. He'd seen all the holoposters and warnings not to trust Jedi, and even though Ben was crazy, Luke didn't exactly think of him as a deranged monster like a Jedi. 

"He must have been something. My mother says he came here at the beginning of the Empire." 

Somebody leaving Tatooine? That Luke could understand. But willingly staying here? Maybe there was something in Biggs's theory.

"I'll ask my Aunt," Luke decided. There was little chance he'd get a word out of Owen and there was no way he'd approach old Ben himself. 

"Can I keep your macrobinoculars until tomorrow? I want to see them from my roof." 

Luke was tempted to say no; Uncle Owen wouldn't be happy with him giving them away. But this meant that Biggs wanted to meet up with him and would let Luke play with the older boys. If Biggs was there, they'd tolerate Luke's presence. Maybe Aunt Beru would let him go. 

"Alright then." They'd reached the small hole in the boarded-up window, just big enough for a child to squeeze through. 

"See you then, Luke!" Biggs waved goodbye and set off for his home leaving Luke alone on the mazy and empty streets.

It was eerily quiet compared to the usual bustling presence of sellers and farmers. Only Luke's footsteps could be heard, everyone else had cleared out of the way of the troopers. Luke pressed himself against the walls trying to move as quietly as possible. He imagined himself as a smuggler, hiding from the troopers with a coolest and fastest ship. Biggs used to play Imps vs. Smugglers with him until he'd gotten too cool for it. Now, the other children refused to play after they said he was cheating. It wasn't his fault he could  _ sense  _ them coming. 

After checking that there weren't any Jedi monsters or troopers lurking around the corner, Luke made his way out of the town and into the desert. He had done this walk many times but today the homestead seemed further and further away. Luke was used to the emptiness of the desert but he could not shake the feeling that something was wrong. 

He immediately picked up the pace, moving into a slow jog. He was unprotected. He was being watched. He was sure. Without Biggs, the troopers became unnerving. Wasn't this what Uncle Owen was frightened of? Hadn't the farmers discussed it in hushed tones around the dinner table?

Something was going to happen soon, Luke knew, that would change everything. His insides tightened in him like a warning. His Uncle Owen had told him to inform his feelings, his gut instincts, that built inside him. It was the same one as before a tusken raider attack or a desert storm, but worse. How could it be worse? He desperately wanted to silence it, that what which felt like a siren blasting out across the desert. 

He wasn't far from home now. He could see it just over the horizon, soothing his nerves. Everything would be fine. Aunt Beru would have Bantha steak cooking and blue milk waiting for him. The Empire wouldn't bother with a small moisture- 

A black dot shot into the sky far over the horizon, like a bird in flight. It was an Imperial T.I.E fighter for sure. Nowhere else had those kinds of ships, none that could go so fast anyway. It was the lone T.I.E as to not give away the element of surprise of a fleet. It was going so fast angrily closing on to the surface until Luke could no longer see it. 

He wished he had kept the macrobinoculars. The other children would never believe him. They'd just say it was some sort of bird or his imagination. But Biggs would believe. He always did and Luke should have trusted him. 

Biggs had been right. The stormtroopers  _ had _ been a scout team. But who were they going for? Few lived that far out, except for one- 

Old Ben Kenobi. But it couldn't be? Old Ben was just a sad old man, no matter what then rumours people said about him. 

Biggs had said he was a Jedi. Camie had once heard that he was on the run for crimes before the Empire. Fixer had called him crazy. Even Uncle Owen had banned him from coming near the homestead. 

Either way, Luke had to warn him. 

"Uncle Owen! Uncle Owen!" He ran frantically towards the homestead, interrupting the silence of the desert, but came to a skidding stop as Owen rushed out. In his hand, he held a blaster rifle, ready to aim. He lowered it seeing no threats except the frantic young boy. 

"Well? What is it, Boy?" Uncle Owen yelled. Luke skidded in front of him. 

"There's a TIE Fighter-" Luke grasped his breath, pointing over across the mountain, "- by old Ben's hut -Imps are in. Anchorhead -Biggs saw-" 

"-Nothing. You and Biggs saw nothing, you understand?" Owen pushed him towards the entrance to the farm. He kept one eye on the horizon as if whatever he was looking for was staring back. 

"But Ben Kenobi!" 

"I don't want to hear any more about Ben Kenobi. He knows what he's in for." 

Luke struggled to fight against Owen's grip, holding himself against the doorframe. "We've got to warn him!" It was no use. When Owen was set on something, nobody could talk him out of it. Almost nobody.

"He's right, Owen," Aunt Beru said, her face half in darkness as she walked up the stairs to the door. She looked gaunt, almost sick, and Luke could see her lips wobbly. But she held Uncle Owen's stare. "We've got to help that man." 

"What good would it do, Beru? Not if the boy's-" He stopped himself. He looked pointedly at Luke and then back at Beru. 

Luke hated that most about grown-ups. When they spoke as if you weren't there or couldn't understand. His Aunt and Uncle did that often, especially when they spoke about his parents. Sometimes, Luke would try to listen in, hiding away the corner or crawling out of bed. He'd gotten good at it too! But somehow he was always caught and the conversation would inevitably fade away. 

"It's better than waiting here for him! Kenobi would do the same for us!" Beru insisted. 

"Kenobi would want the boy safe."

"And he will be once we have Kenobi!" Owen's grip had loosened as his resolve broke - he wouldn't deny a neighbour in need, even if it was one like Kenobi. Luke got the keenest sense that there was something deeper in between them, something that they would not allow him to know. Owen looked back and forth to the comfort of the homestead and the emptiness of the desert.

Luke seized his opportunity. He wouldn't stand around waiting. He loosened himself from Owen's grip and ran towards the Canyon. His feet sunk into the sand as he ran. 

"Luke!" Aunt Beru screamed. 

Then, barely seconds passed, a low guttural sound echoed across the desert. Darkness was upon them now. When had night come?

The twin suns had been completely blocked out by the large Star Destroyer. It was like a black hole cutting itself into the sky and tearing it apart. The Empire was here. 

Luke stumbled. He landed down into the sand which cut into his skin like tiny shards. His Uncle Owen had caught up to him now, bear-hugging him in his arms and carrying him away with a strength he did not know him to have. 

"Force help us now," Uncle Owen muttered. He carried Luke towards the homestead but they never made it inside. Their eyes were watching the sky. 

Luke wondered if he would ever gaze onto the suns again. 

Of course, the Star Destroyer would move and the suns would beat down onto the Lars Homestead. But there would be no twelve-year-old boy to see them. 

**Imperial School for Boys**

**Five Years Later.**

**17 AFE.** ****

Luke woke with a start. What had triggered that nightmare? He shook himself awake as if still brushing the Tatooine sands from him. Sand gets everywhere, he had learned that quick enough on Tatooine and despite being at the Academy for five years Luke swore he still found sand in his clothes. In some ways, he felt like he'd never left Tatooine at all. Especially on nights like this. Luke tried to pull his uniform tighter in and hugged himself against the cold. The uniforms were only a thin material and the Headmaster didn't see the point in running the heating when there were just the two of them. Secretly, Luke didn't mind. It reminded him of the sudden freeze throughout the night on Tatooine. Except in the Academy, there was no Aunt Beru to place a blanket over him when he was cold. 

Luke shivered but it was not from the cold. It wasn't smart to think about ghosts. All the boys knew at the Academy that thinking about home caused nothing but trouble. The Academy was his home and had been for the last five years. The Imperial holovids had that true - the Empire was his family. Though they never seemed to mention how exhausting it was. 

He rubbed his eyes, struggling to fight the urge to go back to sleep. It was the middle of the night cycle and the only light in the library shone from the holoscreen on his desk. Luke squinted his eyes to look at the screen; there were only three more questions on his Coruscant History practice test. He could do this. History was never his strongest subject. It never dealt with anything that Luke found cool or interesting, like the history of space exploration or smugglers. Only the beginning of the Empire or how Palpatine came to power and even then Nick would insist that gaps were missing. Nick was usually right about those things and he told Luke things that the teachers would not. It was only through him that Luke knew the Emperor had not been seen in four years. Luke did not need to look up to know that the statue in the centre of the room was looking at him. No matter where he moved to in the library, the Emperor's stare was inescapable, always half in darkness. He supposed that some would have found the Emperor a comfort, after all, he was the protector of the galaxy. The headmaster would say that it was due to his Tatooine upbringing, not that he would admit his fear to anybody. That was just asking for it. 

Luke leaned back in his chair trying to ignore the Emperor and focus on the holopad. He could not make sense of the words he was reading as they blurred together under his weary eyes. He read it again and again until it stuck in:

'Write a narrative account analysing the key events of the Jedi Rebellion of 0 AFE.' You may refer to: 

  * The Declaration of the New Order
  * Palpatine's Glorious Speech



Luke groaned. He'd been forced to memorise every single one of Palpatine's speeches since he'd arrived at the Academy. Luke had suffered many punishments for his questioning the speeches. Especially for his curiosity over the Jedi. Now, he shuddered at the memory of kind Ben Kenobi- 

_ Snap out of it! _ He pushed the memory to the back of his mind and began to write; the sickness in his stomach growing stronger. 

_ The Jedi attempted to overthrow the Senate. They scarred and deformed our beloved Emperor, who suffered greatly but through his perseverance... _

Luke quickly fell into the ease of writing the essay, the only noise coming from the tapping of keys on the holopad. It became almost relaxing, to the point that he almost did not notice the footsteps coming towards him. He placed the holopad, not daring yet to breathe, as the steps marched faster and faster towards -

The door slammed open, bursting the heavy silence before it. Luke jumped up from his desk, hand searching for the blaster that was not by his side. Of course. A figure came out the shadows, though Luke could not see his face, there was a blaster ready to fire.

"Reveal yourself, this instant!" A commanding voice called out, making no move further into the library. Luke recognised it instantly.

"It's - it's me, sir." 

The hand lowered the blaster. “Vader? Is that you?”

Luke quickly packed his things away and moved towards the shadows that buried Headmaster Trohar. “Sorry, Sir! I lost track of time!”

If Luke was expecting a reprimand then it did not come. Instead, the Headmaster just breathed a tired and relieved sigh. “You shouldn’t be up so late,” Trohar said. Luke pretended to not notice that he covertly hid his blaster inside the holster. 

“I know, I know. I’m sorry I woke you, I was practising some history tests.” Luke hesitated for a moment, then added: “I've been improving a lot.”

“Congratulations, Luke. I’m glad to see your hard work is paying off.” The Headmaster took Luke's datapad, looking through the exam papers and shook his head. "'The Beginning of the Empire.' What are they teaching you kids these days." 

Luke bit his tongue. It would be too easy to agree with Trohar on the futility of the exam papers but it would be pointless. Besides, the Headmaster seemed tense, as if he were expecting a greater threat. 

The Headmaster patted him on the back. “A very astute assessment, Luke. But I’m afraid lights out still counts even outside of the semester.”

Everyone knew it was too futile to argue with the Headmaster as he began to lead him outside the library but Luke could not help himself.  “Come on! I’m the only one still here! I won’t tell any of the other cadets about this. Just a few more tests!” 

“Hmph. I never thought I’d hear those words coming from you. I seem to remember a young boy who would never have dreamed of willingly spending his summer break studying and would rather torture his headmaster by playing pranks on him and attempting to fly speeders.”

Luke smiled, slightly embarrassed, but enjoying their easy rapport too much to be annoyed. The Headmaster could never speak to another cadet like this but over the years he had gotten to know Luke on a more familiar basis. They had spent every summer break together, even though cadets were not supposed to remain at the Academy an exception was made for Luke. Nobody had dared argue with his father so Luke was usually left to his own devices. 

“That’s not to say I want you running yourself into the ground before you’ve even had the chance to fly, Skywalker," The Headmaster continued. "It is not healthy to spend all your time in that library with no company.”

“You’ll get your chance soon, Luke."Trohar slowed his walking speed to a halt and Luke realised that they had ended up outside his dormitory room. "However, all future pilots need their sleep so I recommend that you get yours, Cadet. You have a big day tomorrow.”

“Big day?” Luke said, stifling a yawn.

“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten. You’ve only had it marked on your calendar for the past three months.” 

Luke paused, trying to muddle through his sleepy thoughts when he straightened up and woke with excitement. “That’s tomorrow! Are you sure?”

Trohar laughed. “Trust me; I’m not looking forward to it. I’ve enjoyed these months of peace and quiet. The first day of the semester tomorrow.” 

“Finally!” Luke sighed wistfully. His two closest friends, Arden and Nick, were rejoining him back at the Academy. As close as he was to Trohar, he could not replace his friends. As Trohar opened the doors to his dorm, Luke noticed how cold and empty it felt without his friends. 

“I hope this doesn’t mean that you’ll be back to your old tricks, Skywalker.” He said, his voice lowering to the stern headmaster role. “Now that you’ve got two friends to impress.”

“Come on! I was never that bad!” 

“I’ve got stacks of detention records that say otherwise,” Luke could not help but note the lace of sadness in his voice. “I am going to miss you, Luke.”

“I’ve still got one more year until you’re truly rid of me.”

“Well in that case you better make it count." The Headmaster stalked off down the corridor without looking back. “Oh! And I expect you in my office after class for detention. Next time - stay out of the corridors at night.” 

Luke grumbled something unintelligible but he was too tired to argue with Trohar. He hoped that the influx of students would make him forget the detention, though he doubted it. Trohar always seemed to make room on his timetable for Luke. He walked unsteadily into his room, not caring for the mess as he fell upon his bed. His head had not touched the pillow for a moment before he was fast asleep. 

  
  
  



	2. Arrival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flashback: Luke's first day at The Academy after being found by his father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Thank you all for the lovely reviews and kudos! I really appreciate. Sorry that this is late <3
> 
> CW: mention of vomit

12 A.F.E  
Five Years Earlier

Luke would have protested the Headmaster holding him by hand, the same way that Aunt Beru used to do through the marketplace, but he was too nervous to care. The shuttle that dropped him off had already left - he had not even been given the time to say goodbye to Captain Piett. The Headmaster dragged him along the grey facility and Luke found himself missing the Suns of Tatooine and even the coldness of space. He could not believe that this strange and dark place could be a school. Captain Piett had assured him it was the very best. He had told him to be good. His Aunt Beru had told him to be brave. His Uncle had told him to stand up tall. His father had told him to trust in the Force. Why couldn’t he do that now? 

If his father could see him now, desperately trying to keep up pace with the Headmaster, he was sure to be disappointed. 

That was probably why he'd sent him here, Luke thought. His father could already see right through him back at Anchorhead. 

Luke straightened his back, trying not to cry, imagining himself marching the same way his father had. They moved so fast through the corridors that Luke could not take them in as it merged into one grey blur. They eventually stopped in a large hall, where the Headmaster led him to a door at the back. The room was lined with children's military uniforms on the walls with boxes of hats and black polished boots underneath. s fehy entered, two military officers stopped their frantic searching through the piles to stare at him. 

“This is him,” the older woman whispering as if Luke could not hear her and Headmaster Trohar nodded gravely. 

“Vader just dropped him off.”

“It’s true then?” The younger woman stared at him like he was a circus attraction, her mouth twisted in a frown. “He’s our Lord’s son.” 

Commander Trohar gently pushed him further forward into the room. “Luke, this is Officer Darlor and Officer Warka. They will be your teachers and will supply you with a uniform.” 

Luke took a step back. They did not look like any teachers he had ever seen. They both had a military stance and a blaster by their side as if Luke was a threat. The curriculum on Tatooine had been focused to suit the environment and school was less strict. Here, Luke was instantly afraid to step one foot out of line.

He doesn't look much like our Lord," Officer Warka, the older woman, cued her nose. "I doubt we will have anything small enough to fit." 

“Then we will have to make do until appropriate substitutions are available.” Trohar turned to face Luke, smiling tensely and handing him the uniforms the two Officers had organised. “I’m afraid that your sudden arrival has got us in quite a state, young Luke. You must forgive us for our lack of preparation.”

Luke was not used to being spoken to as an adult and found that despite everything he liked Headmaster Trohar. 

“Where will he stay?” Officer Darlor said, handing him two shiny black boots. 

“That is still to be arranged.” 

“Well, you better make up your mind quickly.” Warka snapped. “The Houses are already full up and House Patriot will not take on any more cadets. We have enough issues without bringing Vader's-” 

Trohar cleared his throat pointedly and Warka snapped her mouth shut. 

“House Glory will accept him.” Darlor spoke up, taking obvious pride in having the son of Vader a member of her house. “I’ll have maintenance bring a spare cot up.”

“Who will he stay with? We can take no risks with him.” 

Darlor scrunched her eyebrows together, deep in thought. “There are two boys - quiet boys - Arden Chalbran and Nick Windhaar. Their parents are inconsequential; there will be no infighting or jealousy I can assure you.”

“Very well see that it is done.” The Commander nodded gravely. The woman opened up her commlink barking quick instructions. “Come along Luke, let us see your new home.”

Luke held onto the large boots and uniform whilst Trohar held a bag of supplies which Luke had to assume we're survivalist resources. Uncle Owen had always ensured that Luke never left the farmstead without ration packs and Luke felt bare, almost unsafe, without them. Perhaps the bag would even contain a blastee like the one that hung from the Officer's belt. 

Luke could only hear the echo of their footsteps along the never-ending corridor and he suddenly realised it was nighttime.

“Here we are Luke,” The Headmaster stopped outside one of the doors in the corridor and handed him his bag. “Well, go on in then.” 

He seemed perplexed that Luke had made no movement or noise. But how could Luke explain that he was frozen to the spot, struck with increasing nervousness of what lay behind the doors. His father had assured him that there would be other children in the Junior Academy, though Luke doubted that they would be like his friends on Tatooine. They wouldn’t be able to talk about moisture farming, or want to know all about Beggar’s Canyon, and how amazing Luke was at shooting womp rats. In fact, Luke feared that the two boys would be like miniature versions of all of the Officer’s he had seen so far - smug, strict and scary.

“What’s wrong, Luke?” Commander Trohar said with a tired smile.

Luke looked down at the floor. “They’ll hate me.” 

He patted his hand on his shoulder. "Luke, there is nothing scarier behind that door than what you have already seen. You are a brave boy," He pressed the button to the door. "There is nothing to fear - the Empire is your friend."

The room was the complete opposite of the corridor. In comparison to the pristine and sanitary corridor, the room looked as if there had been an explosion. There were clothes chaotically flung about, toys on the floor and hundreds of colourful posters and pictures of family on the wall. It was only a small room, almost as if it were military barracks, but in the far corner an extra cot had been placed in. Luke had to assume it was his with new military-style blankets piled on top of it. Luke held his bag tighter. 

Trohar sighed. "Can't you boys keep this room clean for five minutes?"

The two boys rose as soon as they entered, saluting to the Commander in their pajamas. 

“At ease, cadets,” Trohar said. 

Instantly, the boys relaxed and clambered over the beds to Trohar, excitement in their eyes. 

"What’s going on?” Said one. “Why did they bring in an extra cot?” 

“Who’s that?” Said the other, pointing towards Luke who was forced to reveal himself from his hiding place behind Trohar. When he did so, the boy met his gaze, smiling wider. He waved hello and Luke shyly whispered hello back. 

“Luke is going to be your new roommate,” Trohar explained helpfully. 

“That’s not fair! These are supposed to be two-person rooms-” 

“Nick!” Trohar warned, interrupting him. “As I’m sure you know, there are no more rooms left.” 

Luke squirmed under the complaints. Did nobody want him at all?

“But-” 

Trohar raised a hand to silence him. “I expect that you boys will make sure Luke is welcomed and will show him the ropes. Is that understood?" 

The two boys muttered an agreement under their breath. "Good!" Said Trohar, "In the meantime, I have had enough interruptions for one night so lights out! Call me if you need me.”

He shut the lights out but amongst the darkness Luke could still make out the figures of Arden and Nick. They stared at him awkwardly and unmoving as Luke crossed the room and sat on his cot. He placed his bag on the cot and one of the boys came closer to him allowing Luke to make out some of his facial features. Despite the obvious signs of sleep from his unruly bedhead, the big had dark circles under his eyes standing out against his pale skin. 

“I’m Arden,” he said, offering Luke his hand. “And this is Nick.”

Seeing his friend introduce himself, Nick stepped closer and shook Luke’s hand. His handshake was less confident than Arden's and he seemed to be frightened as if Luke was resting himself in order to attack. He stepped back, placing his hands in his pockets, so that Luke could not get a clear glimpse of his face but he could see that he had dark skin and was about a foot taller than Luke.

“I’m Luke,” he said, looking at both of them. 

There was an awkward silence as neither boy knew exactly what to say. The circumstances of Luke’s arrival had stunned them to silence and Luke got the feeling he was intruding in their home. 

Arden spoke up first. “Where are you from? I don’t recognise your accent at all.” 

“Tatooine,” Luke said, uncertain as Arden laughed and jumped upon Luke's cot. At first, Luke feared he had said the wrong thing; he knew the reputation that dustball had. The embarrassment quickly dissolved when he saw the grin on Arden's face.

Luke looked to Nick for an explanation. “He’s from Naboo.” 

“Hardly anyone around here is from the outer rim!” Arden exclaimed, even as Nick tried to quieten him down. “Naboo and Tatooine are practically neighbours - that means we’re like - like brothers!” 

“Brothers?" Luke said, thinking back to his loneliness on Tatooine surrounded by nothing but desert. "I’ve always wanted a sibling."

Luke's stomach dropped - wasn't Biggs his brother, in the ways that mattered? They had been so close and he always protected him from being teased by the other children. What would Biggs think if he had heard him say that? It occurred to him that Biggs would not know, would never know, now that Luke was here. His Aunt and Uncle would tell him. Vader - father - had promised that they would be safe. 

“This is great! It’s good to have someone else from the outer rim,” Arden smiled, continuing on unaware of Luke’s inner turmoil. Luke pushed the feeling down, Biggs would be so pleased for him now that he had finally found his father. Luke was so enveloped in his thoughts, he had not noticed Nick huffing back against the wall, hurt written over his face. 

“Good for you two,” Nick muttered under his breath. “I guess, I’ll just bunk with some of the Coruscanti cadets.” 

“Argh, Nick, don't be like that!" Arden said, but Nick shook his head away from him. "We'll always be brothers. Remember how bad your first day was..." 

Nick slowly moved his head up. "You wouldn't." 

Arden grinned at Luke. "He cried the first night we were here. The Commander was forced to call his mother - he was crying that hard for her."

"I was not!" Said Nick, his jaw gaped open but quickly dissolved into a smirk. "At least I didn't throw up all over Officer Darlor’s shoes!” 

“Hey that’s not funny! I was really sick!” 

Nick turned to Luke and grinned. “It was in front of the whole class!”

“What did she do?” Luke giggled, imagining her reaction. 

“She tried to get out of there so fast that she tripped and fell…” Nick started laughing so hard that he could not finish the sentence but Luke was able to gather what had happened. 

“It is a little funny,” Luke looked at Arden sympathetically, unable to hold his own laughter. 

“Alright, just a little bit,” Arden conceded, amusement flashing in his eyes. “But she’s still got it out for me!”

“That’s because you never do as you’re told,” Nick pointed out smugly and soon the boys fell into lighthearted teasing and arguing as if they truly were siblings. Luke was relieved that he would not be alone as he feared. This time he had the sibling he had been missing. 

“How did you end up here?” Nick looked at him eagerly. 

Luke could not yet find the words; the memory was too fresh like the first ray of sunlight on Tatooine. So he began at the place he knew and told them of his Aunt and Uncle, and childhood on Tatooine. 

“How did you come here from being a moisture farmer?” Nick crinkled his eyebrows, like Luke was a puzzle to figure out. “No offense,” he added quickly. 

Luke thought for a moment. He desperately wanted to tell them about the Jedi, about Ben Kenobi and about Vader's coldness. Words which he had been forbidden to tell came so close to the surface. He reminded himself of his promise to his father. So he began to describe the events as best as he could, sidestepping the most disturbing parts leaving only the bare bones. 

Arden's smile faltered as Luke closed his story of the events; the shock finally settling in. “Vader! Vader?” 

“That’s what he said,” Luke shrugged his shoulders, hoping to appear nonchalant. All his life he had dreamt for his father returning, and now that he finally had, he felt relieved that it was not simply a dream. Arden and Nick believed him.

“I - I don’t understand. I thought he wasn’t human,” Nick jerked back. “You are human, aren’t you?” 

“Of course I’m human,” Luke snapped. Why did that question offend him so? Even Nick seemed to be disturbed at the concept of his non-human. Thinking about it, Luke had yet to see another alien since he had left Tatooine. 

“Does this mean you’re part droid?” Arden said, checking to see if there were any frayed wires or bolts attached to Luke.

“Not since I last checked.” 

“I can’t believe you met the man in black himself,” Nick leaned against the wall. 

“My brother met him. He worked under him for years.” Arden added proudly.

Luke was desperate to know more of his brother's experience but he held back. He did not want the boys to know how little he knew of his father. Besides, Vader would speak to him again. Wouldn’t he?

They sat in silence, digesting the discussion, when Nick jumped up to rummage underneath his cot. He threw out old cases and clothing searching for something kept carefully hidden. 

“Here!” He returned to the cot triumphantly holding a box in his hands. “Since you’ve decided to join our room you must enjoy some of the perks.”

Nick held it out to Luke but Arden snatched it away from him before he had a chance to look inside. 

“Gracious Government Mix!” Arden laughed. “We stole some from the last Empire Day!”

Arden's mouth was already covered in the remnants of the candy and Nick took some for himself before passing it back to Luke. Inside the box were multiple chocolates all in the emblems of Imperial personnel from the Emperor himself to the stormtroopers. But it was the one in the middle that most shocked Luke. 

“Hey! You should probably eat Vader!” Arden said, though it was difficult to understand through his chocolate covered mouth. Luke nervously picked up the chocolate, taking a small bite. 

“Let me eat the Emperor’s head!” Arden put the chocolate face of the Emperor in front of his own. "How dare you eat a piece of my face! I am your Emperor!” He said with mock ferocity, “Gracious Government Mix is for the best citizens only!” 

Arden growled as he tore off a bit of his head, mock fighting with the chocolate. Then, he stuffed the rest in his mouth, before falling into fits of laughter with Nick and Luke. 

The rest of the night passed by quickly. Luke was grateful that they were with him if only to make the sting of his Aunt and Uncle easier to bear with. It reminded Luke of the rare occasion that he and Biggs were permitted to have a sleepover, though this time there was no Aunt Beru to remind them to go to sleep. This time, there was only the faint marching of boots down the corridor and the giggling of the boys, frightened of being caught after lights out. But even still, they could not stay up all night and Luke felt his eyes close shut.

“You know,” said Nick, holding back a yawn. “Now that there’s more than two of us, we should have a name for our group.”

“We’re already the Imperial cadets,” Luke provided, remembering what Commander Trohar had said about seeing the Cadets as his family and brothers. Trohar had said it was such pride that it surprised Luke to see Arden and Nick shake their heads. 

“Nah, something that’s not Imperial,” Arden brushed him off but Luke could not think of anything un-imperial in a place like this. It was practically grounded into the building itself. 

“Rogue!” Luke perked up as the idea hit him. “The Rogue ...brothers!”

“I like that,” Nick said, thoughtfully. “Yeah, I like that!”

Arden put his hand in between the three boys and Nick placed his on top. Though Luke was not familiar with the tradition he did the same. 

“From now on, we are brothers,” Arden looked at them deeply in the eye. “We make our own rules and we will never betray each other. No matter what they say.”

“Rogue brothers!” They yelled together as loudly as possible. Boots suddenly stopped outside their door. Luke bit his lip, struggling to contain his laughter; how easy they had forgotten it was nighttime. They breathed a sigh of relief as the boots marched on, echoing down the corridor. 

Forced by their bleary eyes, they went to sleep and, despite everything, Luke crawled under the blanket smiling. Perhaps the Junior Academy would not be so bad. 

Luke wondered what his father was doing right now. He could not be far across the galaxy but Luke felt as if he was right next to him. It was the same way he felt as a child, as if his father was close by and tucking him into bed. Except this time it was almost real. As if his father's darkness that shadowed everything surrounded Luke like a blanket. 

Go to sleep, young one. A deep voice said in his head and, when he heard it, Luke found he could not resist.


	3. Arrival (Part Two)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Five Years Later - Arden and Nick arrive at the Academy.

Chapter Three  
Five Years Later

Luke shot out of bed. He'd never gotten out of the habit of waking up early from his days on the farm. It had certainly come in handy when he first started the Academy. Whilst Arden and Nick would still be grumbling in bed, Luke would be already waiting for the early morning marches. 

But today was different. Luke knew he shouldn't have stayed awake so long studying. He held his head, thankful that there was just silence in the room. Soon, of course, there'd be a bombardment of noise. But for now, the two empty beds remained stripped of their sheets and the desks next to them were clear of any datapads. It looked like nobody at all had ever lived there. The only signs of life were the messy spread of clothes and databooks on Luke's bed. 

Luke put on his grey tunic and hat that resembled an officer's uniform, except that the rank insignia only had one blue plaque. It felt strange to be wearing the uniform again; Headmaster Trohar had been more relaxed during the summer break. He had enjoyed not having the officers watch his every move. Now, it was back to officers breathing down his neck. He straightened the uniform out, checking that there were no scuff marks and it was completely clean. Though he supposed the officers would be too preoccupied with the first years to even care.

The uniform made him look older than he was as if he was a miniature Headmaster. Although he was sure he looked the part of the proper Imperial boy, Luke did not feel like himself. He felt too severe. Too cold. 

Act like you belong, he thought, not for the first time. Act like you’re one of them. 

It seemed odd to think that after five long years, he still felt like an outsider. He should be a part of the inner circle, like many of his classmates. He was the son of Vader, the might of the Empire itself, after all. Yet, he could not help but feel that was the polar opposite of his classmates. With his Outer Rim accent and farmboy upbringing, he never quite reached the expectations that were set for him. Even as he excelled in all his classes, it was hard for the other cadets to imagine him as a serious threat to their opportunities for power. 

It didn't matter to Luke, even if it did to the others. He never felt the lust for power or control that should be natural to him. Right now, he was just excited to see his friends again. 

When he stepped out of the corridor, he was surprised to see that it was already so busy. Younger students were running down the corridor, much to the chagrin of the Officers, looking both excited and frightened at the unfamiliar surroundings. The returning students were carrying their luggage on their shoulders, pushing past the younger cadets that they towered over, moaning about being back. Some nodded, or said a quick hello, to Luke as they stormed past. As he walked further down the corridor, Luke could hear the familiar echo of conversations through the dorm rooms. Fights were breaking out about who owned what, who slept where and whose bed that was. Even old arguments that had been left dormant over the summer exploded. 

"Hey! Watch out!" Luke said, almost swept off his feet by a breathless first year, followed quickly by another three boys yelling something about a stolen case. Luke decided to walk to the hanger seeing that elevators were full up of cases and cases. 

Luke could not help but grin at the bustling noise and the chaos; he had missed the company.

Of course, there was always something to ruin a day. 

“Still here, Vader? I’d have thought you’d rotted away long ago.” Luke had come to the hanger where Irwin Vand was instructing the first years with military precision. Either the Officers were completely ignorant or encouraging of his cruel bullying since he'd been made Head Boy. Now the extra insignia on his uniform gave him the ego of a Grand Moff and almost the power of one too. 

How terrible to have your first introduction to the Academy be Vand, Luke thought.

"Did you miss me, Vand?" 

Ever since he had joined the Academy in his Tatooine rags years ago, Vand had it out for him and it was clear he wasn’t going to let up now. He was the son of some high-standing governor's in favour with the Empire and had always thought Luke was beneath him.

"I see you haven't changed a bit, Vader." He sneered at Luke, looking disgusted. “You’re in the final year now and you still act like the pathetic little farm boy you were when you first came here.” 

"And you're still the sleemo that you always will be," Luke snapped, unable to hold back any longer. He had become fiercely protective of his Aunt and Uncle, and, surprisingly enough, of Tatooine. Luke found that, despite everything, he missed his old home. The coldness of the military academy and the officers stung in comparison to the warmth of his Aunt and Uncle under the twin suns. 

Of course, someone like Vand could not understand that.

“Charming. I’d start preparing for a life back on Tatooine now if I were you.” He looked at his uniform, and compared to Vand’s pristine tunic, Luke still felt as if he was in Tatooinian rags. Ill-fitting and worn. "Looks like farming’s the only way you can serve the Empire. Lord Vader certainly thinks so." 

Luk's mouth snapped shut. Vand had never been frightened by Luke's parentage as the other boys were. He knew straight away, long before Luke had realised, that he was a source of shame for his father. Soon, the other cadets had come to the same realisation. Still, Vand had the bad taste to continue to mention it. 

“Yeah, well… Says you, buckethead!” It was a weak insult but Luke wanted nothing more than to get away from this conversation. Vand worshipped the Emperor but hated all those who ran it, in particular the Stormtroopers. In fact, he hated everyone who considered to be beneath him, which turned out to be almost everyone. Pardoning the Emperor, of course. 

“Funny, I’ll remember that when I’m your Commanding Officer. Or perhaps I’ll just tell one of the Officers now.”

"Trust it to Head Boy to turn us in for every little thing. Back to licking the Emperor’s boots, Irwin?” 

Luke grinned. He recognised that voice! 

"Took you long enough!" Luke hugged his old friend Arden Chalbran sporting the same excited smirk that he had left Luke with. 

"You should be careful to speak such treason, Chalbran!" Vand protested, going unnoticed by Luke and Arden. 

"Good to see you too," Arden laughed. “Think we could stowaway on the ship and get out of this dump?” 

“Only if I could convince the pilot to let me fly?” 

Irwin snorted. “Only the biggest laserbrain in the galaxy would give you the controls to a ship.” 

“Don’t be so sure about that, Irwin. Luke could fly circles around those nerfs at the Academy,” Arden said. “You, on the other hand, wouldn’t even last a day in the Navy.” 

Vand stepped back: it was no secret that he saw himself becoming a Naval Officer and higher. It must have struck a nerve for he quickly switched tactics. 

Vand flicked Arden's chest. “Why aren’t you in uniform, Chalbran?”

Luke had been so distracted he hadn't noticed Arden's clothing. It was in stark contrast with the grey and Unitarian designs of the Empire as if it was not meant to be there. He was wearing what could only be assumed as traditional Naboo clothing with flowing sleeves and carefully embroidered designs. Luke could not help but wonder what Arden meant by it. 

It occurred to Luke that he had never worn anything other than various uniforms in five years.

“Ah! Take it up with the Emperor,” Arden said dismissively before turning to Luke eager to move on. “You must have just missed Nick. He said he was going to get the bedsheets and uniforms from storage.” 

But Vand was not going to let it go that easily. “Your hair is too long! Do you both want to look like Rebels? Get it cut!” 

It was not the insult Vand expected it to be. Rebel or not, there was no way Luke was cutting his shoulder-length hair. Arden and Luke looked wordlessly to each other, knowing instinctively what to do. Before Vand could say another word, they took off running down the corridor, darting in between the other cadets. 

"No running in the corridors!" An officer yelled, making a laughable half-hearted attempt to chase after them. Thankfully, a swarm of lost first years surrounded him like a wall, freeing Arden and Nick to the elevators. 

They breathed a sigh of relief, shutting the dorm room doors from the chaos and noise outside. Luke took in the dorm room; already Arden and Nick's luggage was thrown over the room in an undeniable mess. 

But they were here. That was all that mattered. 

Nick was sat on the shared desk, starting to organise it from the mess Luke had left it in and attempting to place the datapads in the correct order. 

“I was wondering when you two nerfherders were going to get here!” Nick jumped up as he heard them enter.

“Argh, they were doing security checks on everyone from the outer rim before we could land.” 

“You never mentioned that one,” Luke said. That had never happened before.

“Anyway, Luke was too busy picking fights with Vand,” Arden explained, nudging Luke, not caring to mention his own involvement.

“Get outta here! You should have let him, Arden.”

“On the first day of term?” Luke said, shocked. "I thought you were supposed to be the sensible one?" 

“He’ll get what’s coming to him,” Arden muttered darkly, though perked up when he noticed where Nick had moved to sit. “Hey! That’s my bed! Get your own!”

“I got here first,” Nick said simply. 

This row was a yearly occurrence. The bed was in an enviable position; it was next to the tiny window that just a glimmer of light through. It meant that whoever slept there could have a little bit of freedom into the night sky. This year Nick had gotten an early lead by placing all of his luggage on top of the bed. 

“You took it last year! By rights it’s mine, we had a deal!” Arden picked up some of Nick’s clothing and began throwing it onto the other bed. 

"Stop that! That deal was banthashit and you know it!" Nick protested. 

"I won the bet!" 

"You cheated!" 

"I won fair and square." 

"Did not!"

"Did too!" 

Despite himself, Luke grinned. He had missed their arguments that, if he would let it, could go on for hours. 

"Maybe I should take the bed," Luke suggested in between their arguing. 

"You lost your rights to the bed during the Great Prank War of 14 AFE. Besides, you had your chance over the holidays," Nick said. 

Arden jumped onto the bed, pillow in hand, gearing for a fight. "This is between me and him."

"Oh, so it's going to be like that, is it?" Nick grinned, excitedly. "Prepare to face your doom!"

"I've been looking forward to this!"

Then it was all-out war.

If Luke was worried that Arden and Nick had changed since the school break, he needn't have been. He had tortured himself thinking about all the things they could have done during the break whilst Luke was stuck alone. He had been sure that to them, he appeared white pathetic trapped in the same building for four years. Luke tried to come up with something interesting that happened to him during the summer months but could think of nothing except for the comfortable routine he shared with Commander Trohar.

But seeing them today, Luke was reminded how little and how much they had changed. It was hard to believe that in just a year they'd be off across the galaxy. He tried to remind himself that soon he'd be amongst the best of the best at the Imperial Navy Academy and the. He could pilot and fly whenever he wanted. 

All he had to do was hold out a little longer. 

“You know, just when I was getting used to peace and quiet.” He teased.

“Don’t lie! We know you were bored without us!” Arden threw the pillow, narrowly avoiding his face. Luke did not bother denying that it was true; he had truly missed his friends, and from the look in his eye, he knew that they had missed him too.

Nick held out his hand to Arden. "Truce?" 

"Truce." 

"Anyway, I've got a few stories to tell you," Arden said, sitting down on the bed with Nick. 

Arden began telling his dramatic epic of his misadventures across Naboo that Luke was mostly sure we're fake. He'd long since learned that Arden had a habit of exaggerating the truth but he couldn't help but hang onto every word. They had become his only window into the outside world.

"I don't believe a word of it for one minute," Nick rolled his eyes, thoroughly miserably that his holiday of learning the history of Imperial taxes had been decidedly dull in comparison. 

“It is true! Anyway, I haven't told you the best thing - I met a girl." He said. Luke jumped up, the mystical world of dating and romance was an entirely different galaxy to the one Luke was used to. “And I had my first kiss.” 

“I thought you’d already kissed a princess from Jafani when you were twelve?” Nick asked, already suspicious. 

Arden ignored him, getting up to change into his uniform. Luke was struck with how wistful he looked. “Well, almost first kiss. Would have been right in front of the Emperor too, though he’d probably have seen it as a demonstration of Imp pride or something.” 

“When were you in front of the Emperor?” Luke laughed. It was hard to imagine Arden with his nonconformity and attitude in a sea of the most die-hard Imps and the Emperor. 

“I was in the crowds!” He insisted, much to Luke and Nick’s amusements. “It was his birthday, of course, he was on Naboo!” 

Luke had to admit it did make sense. Arden spent much of his holidays on his home planet of Naboo, though sharing a home was about as far as the comparisons went with the Emperor. 

Nick crinkled his eyebrows. “I’m surprised he was even there. Nobody on Coruscant has seen him outside the Palace in years.” 

Admittedly, Luke was more than curious about the rumours outside The Junior Academy. Anything outside of the mandated Imperial propaganda was banned and that included the rumours surrounding the Emperor. But right now, Luke only cared about the end of Arden’s story. “What happened? Why didn’t she kiss you? Did she smell your bad breath?”

“I do not have-!” He stopped himself and then silently got up and checked that nobody was listening outside in the corridor, and gestured for them to lean in closer. “Alright, I’ll tell you. There was an assassination attempt on the Emperor. They tried to cover it up, but it was close. I think it was the Rebels.”

“No way,” Nick said breathlessly. 

“Yeah, your father was with him.” Luke suddenly realised that he was referring to Vader. “He saved the Emperor from the attack. If he hadn’t the Emperor-” 

“Don’t,” said Nick. “It’s not worth thinking about.” 

“Shame they missed,” Luke gasped as the boys grabbed him by the shoulders as if they were frightened he would be taken away at any moment. They waited tensely, watching the doors as if a gang of officers were waiting to burst in and arrest them. There was nothing but silence. They slowly relaxed their grip on Luke and breathed.

“Why not? Who cares about the Emperor?” Luke said, thoroughly confused. It had only been a joke, hadn’t it? 

They looked at Luke as if he were mad. 

“You can’t say things like that,” Nick hissed, keeping his eye on Luke. “Things are only getting tenser on Coruscant. Everyone’s on edge.” 

“I’m - I’m sorry.” He regretted the words as soon as he had spoken them. If things had really gotten that bad, he could have put them at risk. Perhaps he was mad to speak such treasonous things in the heart of an Imperial Academy. 

“Listen, they started rounding up civilians and interrogating them. I only got out of it so quickly because I told them my father was an officer. Nobody knows where loads of the people have gone.” They all shared a look, their eyes wide and breaths hitched. Luke’s stomach turned - how many civilians had paid the price for the Rebels? He looked at Arden, who still seemed shaken up by the whole ordeal as he recounted the events. “Your father was with him. He saved the Emperor from the attack.”

Luke thought for a moment, Arden had probably been closer to Vader than Luke had been in five years. 

Not daring to look towards his friends, Arden kept his eye on the door, his lip shaking slightly and his voice broke as he spoke. “The girl - she was Twi’lek - and they, er, took her away afterwards. And I’ve never seen her again. 

The boys were silent, listening to Arden talk nervously. “She wasn’t involved, of course. I’m sure I’ll see her again next year and that she’s safe. Loads of people have come back. The Empire is good. The Empire wouldn’t -” 

The words had become unspeakable to Arden, the lump caught in his throat stopped the very idea from being formed. Luke could not help but notice the tears that sprang threatened to fall from Arden’s eye and he got the sense that this was the first time he was able to speak about what had happened. Surely, his mother and father could not have been pleased with him dating a Twi’lek

“I just wish I knew for sure.” 

Luke grabbed a hold of his hand and squeezed it. He could tell that Arden did not notice that he was there but he spoke anyway. 

“It isn’t fair,” Luke began. “We could do something - ask Commander Trohar if he has heard anything about the release of prisoners, or -” 

Arden turned away and smiled humorously. “Forget it, Luke. There’s nothing anybody can do.” 

“We shouldn’t be having this conversation,” Nick whispered, his voice hoarse. “You know she’ll be alright. It’s just to keep people like her safe. Whatever happened had been for the good of the Empire.” He added, though he did not present any patriotic spirit, Nick was clear in ending the discussion. 

“For the good of the Empire,” Arden repeated, sounding defeated. 

“Trohar will know,” Luke said resolutely but was interrupted by the shrill Academy bell that echoed across the corridor. 

“ALL CADETS WILL MAKE THEIR WAY TO THE ASSEMBLY ROOM IN ONE HOUR. REPEAT: ALL CADETS WILL MAKE THEIR WAY TO THE ASSEMBLY ROOM IN ONE HOUR.”

The boys groaned, mentally preparing themselves to face another assembly to hear about just how fantastic the Emperor is and how they will serve him and all the other propaganda they could throw at them. Luke felt the opportunity to find more about the outside galaxy disappear along with the alarm. 

“What more can they take,” Arden sighed, speaking so quietly that Luke was unsure if he had heard him correctly, but he noticed the odd look of determination in his eyes. Luke knew Arden better than anyone; there was something that he was not telling him. 

Luke had a bad feeling about this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the comments and kudos!


End file.
